Want to Remove YouTube's Logo on Embedded Videos? Here's How

YouTube dropped a little bombshell of a news announcement yesterday on their blog when they released two new changes for embedded videos. The first is the addition of HD Preview Images for videos higher than 480p. But the potentially-huge news is that YouTube has enabled publishers to remove the YouTube logo from embedded videos.

YouTube's Logo ► Now Optional on Embedded YouTube Videos

This is the news that will get most of the attention, rightfully so. Publishers, website owners, and bloggers alike can now embed YouTube clips on their site without that pesky YouTube logo showing up on the player (like how the player appears on YouTube itself). Here's an example of the player without the YouTube logo:

While it might, on the surface, sound like a small change, it has big implications. A number of small and medium business customers are wary of having the YouTube branding associated with their video content. It mostly has to do with the fact that the site has a wealth of amateur content, crude content, and immature comments. Sometimes it's just that they want their video content to help brand them as a business, and YouTube's branding competes with that.

Enterprise level online video platforms have been selling their product for years by reminding customers that if they go with YouTube they'll have that logo on all their content. Now, that selling point is moot--which is not to say that such solutions don't still have other advantages, because they ABSOLUTELY do (see here). But the ability to remove that YouTube logo takes away one of the best sales tactics of the competitors.

How to Remove YouTube's Logo from Embedded Videos & Players

So, although this is not a default option within the embed code box on YouTube videos, this can be done quite simply by adding the following to the end of a YouTube embed URL:

?modestbranding=1

So for example, the standard iFrame embed code you would get for a video like the one above would be:

Issues, Tips & WorkArounds:

This only works if you use it as the first parameter after the video id. IE - it can not be added after any other parameters or it will break and the logo will reappear when the video starts. To illustrate what I mean, you can NOT do something like this:

Additionally, this will not work with a few of the other embed player parameters like "showinfo" which can be used to set whether or not the title shows at the top of the video (0= no title). For whatever reason, if you continue to use "showinfo=0", the "modestbranding" parameter will not function as it's supposed to and the logo will reappear when you press play.

As a work around to this, I discovered a new parameter that they dont publicize => "title=". So, if you would like to remove the logo AND you want to remove the title from the player, you need to structure the embed src player string as follows, leaving "title=" blank:

As just a fun little note on this - I found out that you can actually change that title to be whatever you want. See this example.

More YouTube Embed Customization:

I've written a post in the past about how to customize the YouTube embed code HERE - which contains many of the additional embed player parameters that you can use to tweak your YouTube embeds. It's a bit dated of a post but still relevant as all of the parameters can still be used with both the older AS2 and newest AS3 players. Additionally, these work with both the old object/embed code as well as the YouTube iFrame embed code.

Mark Robertson is the Founder and Publisher of ReelSEO, an online information resource dedicated to the fusion of video, technology, social media, search, and internet marketing. He is a YouTube Certified, video marketing consultant and video marketing expert, popular speaker, and considered to be a passionate leader within the online video and search marketing industries.

http://www.facebook.com/Iam.atdheu I’am Atdheu

I like to have website like a youtube , anyone any idea about script or website that you know..?? thanks

Bill Wynne

No matter what I put in the parameters I still get what appears to be a beveled edge on the top and left borders. The right and bottom don't have a pixel of anything. The site it is on is backedbyresearch dot com and is the main video. Help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.reelseo.com/ Mark Robertson

Bill.. you need to remove the &showinfo parameter and it'll work. I double checked. Just keep everything but remove the showinfo=0

ivan torres

hi i works great on all browsers, however my ipad still shows the youtube logo...any thoughts?

http://www.facebook.com/sporty.ajay Ajay Jadhao

Here's an example of the player without the YouTube logo: haha but I can see the youtube logo in abobe embed .. and how did this below footer text attached into clipboard ???

There is an easy-to-use tool which removes text overlays from your videos in full auto mode It is Remove Logo Now! http://www.removelogo.com/remove-logo-from-video/ It has Find logo feature (detects logo automatically) and supports many video formats.

pedross

Hi I have been trying to do as you sugested but I always end up with link back to Youtube that I dont want. I can either remove title with logo at the bottom connecting to YT or remove logo but still have title that links to YT. On your example there is no title only when the video finishes link at the top became active. Do you have any proper solution to this? Also Firefox, IE and safari keeps the title but and it is not linked to YT but Chrome does.

linaschke

Thanks for sharing this. I'm also trying to force HD playback, which was removed a while ago, but I found the info on how to force that, here: http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/force-embed-playback-720/

Unfortunately when I force 720p, the modestbranding breaks. I tried putting the string in different places in the code, as you mentioned that it has to be first, but I couldn't find a way to make it work. You also said that some other parameters will break the modestbranding, so that's probably what the problem is.

I don't suppose you know of a way to force HD playback AND get rid of the YouTube logo?

Normally I wouldn't care except that these embeds have a watermark right under the YouTube HD watermark, so it looks utter crap :(

thanks -Joseph

http://www.reelseo.com/ reelseo

@linaschke Yeah, unfortunately there isnt. Also -a lot of other parameters seem to break it. I also dont know for a fact that the old HD=1 works, as I cant get it to work for any embed. :(

linaschke

@reelseo Check that link I posted above; following those directions forcing HD embed DOES work (at least for me). I have a page in development where you can see it, here: http://www.PhotoJoseph.com/photo101 — nice big 1055 wide videos playback, in HD. Also I realized that just using the default new iframe code, playback on the iPad is NEVER in HD, and you can't change it! The method in that post also forces HD on the iPad, which is great.

http://www.reelseo.com/ reelseo

@linaschke ahh ok, I see the issue. On the iframe player embed, it doesnt work, but using the old embed it does. Thanks for this cause that makes sense.

MarkStefaniAlonzo

how to remove the ADS from embedded youtube videos to my site? it is possible?

http://www.reelseo.com/ reelseo

@MarkStefaniAlonzo Nope, it's against YouTube's terms of use

DianeLockward

Is it possible to remove the More Info button from an embedded video?

http://www.reelseo.com/ reelseo

@DianeLockward try "&showinfo=0"

pedross

Hi I have been trying to do as you sugested but I always end up with link back to Youtube that I dont want. I can either remove title with logo at the bottom connecting to YT or remove logo but still have title that links to YT. On your example there is no title only when the video finishes link at the top became active. Do you have any proper solution to this? Also Firefox, IE and safari keeps the title but and it is not linked to YT but Chrome does.

Some Developer Chic

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="youtube.full-url-here/embed/Your-Video-ID-Here?;rel=0;autoplay=1;wmode=transparent;controls=1;showinfo=0;color=white;theme=light;fs=0;title=''" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> rel 0 = no related videos at the end of the video autoplay 1 = plays on page load wmode = transparent, need this for a Chrome issue controls 1 = show the controls color white = changes the color of the video player progress red or white choices only theme light = light or dark choices only title = leave blank with single quotes and on mouse over the title will not show up when the video is playing.

lots of more controls https://developers.google.com/youtube/player_parameters#controls

Some Developer Chic

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Your-Video-ID-Here?;rel=0;autoplay=1;wmode=transparent;controls=1;showinfo=0;color=white;theme=light;fs=0;title=''" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>rel = no related videos at the end of the video autoplay = plays on page load wmode = transparent, need this for a Chrome issue controls = show the controls color = white - changes the color of the video player progress to red or white theme = light or dark choices only title = leave blank with single quotes and on mouse over the title will not show up when the video is playing.

lots of more controls https://developers.google.com/youtube/player_parameters#controls

linaschke

Thanks for sharing this. I'm also trying to force HD playback, which was removed a while ago, but I found the info on how to force that, here: http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/force-embed-playback-720/

Unfortunately when I force 720p, the modestbranding breaks. I tried putting the string in different places in the code, as you mentioned that it has to be first, but I couldn't find a way to make it work. You also said that some other parameters will break the modestbranding, so that's probably what the problem is.

I don't suppose you know of a way to force HD playback AND get rid of the YouTube logo?

Normally I wouldn't care except that these embeds have a watermark right under the YouTube HD watermark, so it looks utter crap :(

thanks -Joseph

http://www.reelseo.com/ reelseo

@linaschke Yeah, unfortunately there isnt. Also -a lot of other parameters seem to break it. I also dont know for a fact that the old HD=1 works, as I cant get it to work for any embed. :(

linaschke

@reelseo Check that link I posted above; following those directions forcing HD embed DOES work (at least for me). I have a page in development where you can see it, here: http://www.PhotoJoseph.com/photo101 — nice big 1055 wide videos playback, in HD. Also I realized that just using the default new iframe code, playback on the iPad is NEVER in HD, and you can't change it! The method in that post also forces HD on the iPad, which is great.

http://www.reelseo.com/ reelseo

@linaschke ahh ok, I see the issue. On the iframe player embed, it doesnt work, but using the old embed it does. Thanks for this cause that makes sense.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1730605190 Carlos Rosario

Thanks for this awesome share!

Philip Budden

For those interested in embedding youtube into their websites. Read this.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001241051286 Jim Bannon

Wonderful information. Professionally presented.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1796920946 Gilbert Camargo

I removed the player from my video and the info on the top, but I still have the YOutube watermark on the video. Any way of removing that?

Harkunwar Singh Kochar

old news does not work.

Halil Karaköse

Thanks for the tip but you cannot completely remove branding. A small Youtube text is displayed at the top right of the video when mouse is moved over the video

Amy Rayner-Cooley

Thanks for the great tip! I couldn't figure out why it wasn't working correctly when I add this parameter last week. My client is so happy now.

Great tip thanks, I also got this to work with the rel=0 added - my example (http://media.videoproductionshampshire.co.uk/youtube).

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=629075591 David Gosley

This has come a long way ssince I last looked at the concern of removal of the YouTube branding. I feel it is a positive move on YouTube's behalf - but they still have not made this easy emnough. The example cited above at the end of the link: http://www.youtube.com/embed/wR8Xieqdet0?modestbranding=1&title=REELSEO%20Readers%20Are%20By%20Far%20The%20Coolest%20People%20On%20Earth%20=%3E%3E%20See,%20The%20Title%20Can%20Be%20Anything.

does show a modified title - without branding - but the word YouTube still appears in small white text at top right when hovering the video. Maybe this too will be deprecated one day.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001273240180 Jane Meagher

thanks for this really helpful information. is there a way to delete the horizontal row of other people's videos which appear underneath my youtube video on MY website? that seems unprofessional and I don't know if there's a setting to remove this. thanks so much.

Michael Raj

To remove the youtube image from embedded video: paste the code in video url? modestbranding=1&version=3&hl=en_US

http://gobananasnorthvan.com/ Ton

Hi, any way to get rid of the ads during and after the video plays? I have deactivated the option in my you tube setting, but they are still popping up.

http://www.reelseo.com/mark/ Mark R Robertson

No, that is against the terms of use for YouTube, and I also dont know how it can be done.

antony

You can use a special tool to remove watermarks and logos from video files. http://www.removelogo.com/remove-logo-from-video/

Colette Summers

Is there a way to get rid of my video title and name which appears on the top of my video?

Andrew Harris

Thanks for the quick response Mark. Trying avidly to find out, but even the code that google/youtube have on their youtube video parameters page doesn't show a full way to cut out all links back to youtube.

You mentioned in another article that you can use the JW Player from LongtailVideo to customize your youtube videos with a custom player. Does that still work currently?

When I use the "title=" code in my html string the title still shows up when someone hovers over the top of the video or if the user pauses the video. Is there any way to disable those as well while still using the modestbranding?

http://www.reelseo.com/mark/ Mark R Robertson

Not that I've been able to figure out. ;( Would love to know if you end up figuring out something but I've tried numerous ways and no luck with that.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1501989609 Andrew Harris

When I use the "title=" code in my html string the title still shows up when someone hovers over the top of the video or if the user pauses the video. Is there any way to disable those as well while still using the modestbranding?

coscos

Hello,

Tested your code, works great on all browsers but... any ideas why it doesn't apply to iPads? The youtube logo is still there while playing videos on iPad and redirects to YouTube if logo is clicked..

Thanks!

ivan torres

yes i am having the same problem...

Chris Knabenshue

Thanks for the tipes..I tried to incorporate the &title= code to remove the title and youtube logo, but it didn't work..am I missing something? the full embed code I am trying to use is this: () Though I tried it without the additional parameters and it still didn't work....any idea why? thanks for your help!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=629075591 David Gosley

Hi Chris, I took your code and put it on a page: http://media.videoproductionshampshire.co.uk/test/ it works.. But,, in the version on the right I removed the "&fs=0" command and as a consequence it plays sooner.. Dave

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000207582443 Robert Bucci

Thanks to @MarkRobertson of ReelSEO for several tips about customizing YouTube's embedded player, along with a few 'gotchas' from trying to mix too many variables. Here's one more that wasn't included in the article. (http://www.reelseo.com/remove-youtube-logo/)

I noticed another wrinkle in removing the YT logo from the 'new' player skin. One of the features I REALLY LIKE about YT's new skin is that it doesn't send viewers away from your page (to YouTube) when they click on your already playing video. If you want to get this benefit on existing, 'old embed code' videos, just add "&version=3" in the URL string(s). **HOWEVER** doing so seems to defeat Mark'd tip in this article which removes the YT logo. :'(

At this point, I've decided that keeping viewers on my site (version=3) is more important than removing the YouTube logo.

Many thanks to '@anonymous' for adding the "autohide=1" tag, which hides the YT controls while the video is playing.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000613340718 Fakhr Alam

here with me. the logo within control bar has hidden. but the transparent logo on video (Watch on youtube) is still there. while your wideo shows nothing.

Sandy Spurling

the same with mine, did you ever figure out how to get rid of it.

alisha Smith

Hi, i am using this code to hide the grey control bar at the bottom of my youtube video and to loop and autoplay so i can add it to my profile on a website that i use.

Your work around “title=“ does not work, as title still shows. You cannot have logo and title off at the same time. I'm looking at it when you pause, or hover on top.

http://www.reelseo.com/mark/ Mark R Robertson

It does, but as It will show when the video begins streaming.

Larry

Hi, Thanks for this post. It was exactly what I'm looking for.

I tried it though and couldn't get it to work. I tried the iframe code as well as the old embed code.

Double checked my work and can't see where i went wrong.

Take care,

Larry T.

http://www.digitalcheap.com Bret

So we cant figure out how to do all these?

- Remove YouTube Logo - Not show title - Not show related videos at end?

If it is possible, please show a code example - Thanks!

http://www.reelseo.com/mark/ Mark R Robertson

Here's iFrame code for it...

lanie

is there any way to apply this if the embedded youtube videos is played by jwplayer?

http://www.reelseo.com/mark/ Mark R Robertson

Unfortunately no - this does not work for chromeless players, only YouTube's player.

David Meredith

petentially-Huge-News

Aardvark Films

Ok, I've managed to remove the logo, but when I embed the video, the player has a button in between the 'watch later' and 'full screen' buttons, with the YouYube logo on it (like in the black and white image at the very top of your post). I notice your video example on this site doesn't have that button - how did you get rid of it?

http://www.facebook.com/erskin.hansen Erskin Hansen

Don't know if anyone noticed but on the example video of "How to Remove YouTube’s Logo from Embedded Videos & Players", a "Youtube HD" logo is displayed if you select 720p HD or 1080p HD. In addition to eliminating the regular "Youtube" logo, is there a way to also eliminate the "Youtube HD" logo from being displayed?

http://www.reelseo.com/ Mark Robertson

that's a good question and something I didnt realize. Ill look into it.

http://www.engvid.com/ engVid

If you hide the player itself while it's playing (using autohide=1), then that watermark at least only appears when the player controls are showing, but the rest of the time you have a pure, clean video.

http://www.VideoLeadsOnline.com/ Ronnie Bincer

Mark, I've run into similar issues as Pam above trying to use the modest branding switch. The YouTube Logo is gone, but then I have Issues with related videos showing at the end and even with your title= trick, I still get the title showing if I pause the video... Any ideas on how to best integrate the new code?

Goal: No Title, No YouTube Logo, No Related Videos, No Autoplay - using IFrame and "older" embed code

http://www.VideoLeadsOnline.com/ Ronnie Bincer

I figured out how to turn off the related videos at the end (needed to add back in the old code I used before of "rel=0") - but the title is still showing when you pause the video no matter what I try. I'm guessing that YouTube wants their name somewhere so now you can turn off the logo in the bottom right, but if you pause the video the Title & (in a new place) a clickable word "YouTube" shows up top.

BUT, I'm not really a coder so if someone else figures out how to do it all, let me (us) know!

Pam Brossman

I am not a coder by any means and most of YouTube users have no idea when it comes to changing code and adding code. I tried your code to get rid of the title but that seem to override the 'o' related videos so at the end of the videos all the related videos come up which totally defeats the purpose of taking the logo off. It seems when you add the code to remove the logo it makes all the other options obsolete. I also went and followed your other code examples but that did not seem to work. Could you give us two examples with the complete code to demonstrate how this works please your examples cuts off with a .... which leads those who are not guessing what comes after. That would be awesome thanks so much. People will not use this option if it overrides the 'related videos' option which noone wants on their websites. I must be doing something wrong because I tried every which way. I tried with the old code and I tried with the iframe code and both times the related videos came up at the end even though the number was 'o'. Thanks in advance Pam

http://www.VideoLeadsOnline.com/ Ronnie Bincer

Pam, If you add in the code switch of "rel=0" then it will turn off the "related videos" at the end of the video even if you are using the new logoless option. (make sure you are using the number 0 not the letter o)

http://www.reelseo.com/ Mark Robertson

unfortunately if you do that, it can break the logoless option once the video plays.

Pam Brossman

Mark great article thanks so much. Quick question. I tried your codes and it worked perfectly thank you. But when you push the pause button the headline pops up is that suppose to happen? It does not show at the beginning and does not show while playing but it does show up when you click the pause button. Is there any way around this? Cheers Pam

http://www.reelseo.com/ Mark Robertson

Yeah I noticed that as well and meant to mention it but forgot. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a work around that didn't break the branding part :(

http://www.VideoLeadsOnline.com/ Ronnie Bincer

Mark/Pam, As I mentioned in another comment on this fine article, I think that there is no way around the Title showing up when you pause now if you turn off the Logo. This way YouTube still shows their name somewhere no matter what (if the video gets paused).

So you can do not title/info or no YouTube logo, but not both at the same time.

http://camarush.com Ted Banucci

LOL. The same day I bought a Vimeo Pro account, of course! Vimeo still offers a few great advantages, such as posting your own JPG as the poster frame, but YouTube is slowly getting corporate-aware.